Inspiration : Around Here

"Poets to not go mad; but chess players do...Poetry is sane because it floats easily in an infinite sea; reason seeks to cross the infinite sea, and so make it finite.  The result is mental exhaustion."

- G.K. Chesterton

Inspiration : Scattered Crowd

I'm not sure, but I think I remember hearing William Forsythe say in an interview that economic realities at least in part led him to his ideas for Choreographic Objects.  Any institution can commission one of his installations - installations which do not require extensive rehearsal time, dancers' payments or theatre, lighting, sound or travel expenses, etc. Referring back to my post on Miwon Kwon's book, William Forsythe's installations seem to be precisely what Kwon is troubled by.  The installations go up from institution to institution making both them and Forsythe money with seemingly no concern for any enduring relationship to the site or the community.  For me, however, I see Forsythe's installations as a possible answer to Kwon's call for a process of double-mediation.  

Tabernakel

With the celebration of Jesus' Incarnation at hand, our community, Haus Bethanien, is setting up a prayer room for the surrounding community. We have chosen the Incarnation as our theme, and, as our guide, we are using aspects of the symbolism of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish festival instituted by God to foretell of the Incarnation. The Feast commemorates God's presence with and protection of the Israelites as tent-dwelling nomads in the wilderness. God's Messianic promise to be a God who is with us is often intertwined with the symbols of the Feast and is a theme which runs throughout the Old Testament. Doug Ward as written a short but wonderful article on this topic.  And, of course, Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Feast - when He came and "tabernacled" among us. I particularly like the verse from Revelation 21:3: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.'" 

There are three main symbolic elements that arise out of the Feast - you can read about them more fully in the article. They are water, light, and fragrant herbs. We are creating three "booths" in which the participant can encounter one of these elements as a point of meditation on the Incarnation. A labyrinth on the floor representing our life as pilgrims here on this earth will lead to each of the booths. The prayer room will be open all week for visitors. We hope this will be a reminder of His presence which dwells with us and that it is this Presence that we celebrate.

Inspiration : White Bouncy Castle

This past Saturday we made a trip to Frankfurt to see William Forsythe's choreographic installation, White Bouncy Castle.  White Bouncy Castle is exactly that: a massively over sized white bounce house in the shape of a castle.  This installation is of one of perhaps two dozen "choreographic objects" (his term) that are manifestations of his recent investigation into the idea of choreography as a set of organizing principles that can be detached from the body. His idea is to explore all the possible "sites" of choreographic action and to alter its traditionally ephemeral nature to allow for sustained investigation of these "fixed" principles.  He asks: "Are we perhaps at the point in the evolution of choreography where a distinction between the establishment of its ideas and its traditional forms of enactment must be made? Not out of any dissatisfaction with the tradition, but rather in an effort to alter the temporal condition of the ideas incumbent in the acts, to make the organizing principles visibly persist. Could it be conceivable that the ideas now seen as bound to a sentient expression are indeed able to exist in another durable, intelligible state?"

Krakow : Seven Days

Arrive to foreign letters and muted sunlight.  Seas of Polish at rush hour.  Over cobbled streets along a city wall, it's almost dark.  Lights from golden storefronts and kebab stands and the cadence of horse hooves.  Meeting with a friend, talk of art and ideas in the market square. Share food and drink on the terrace with accordion music.

 Click below to view the other six journal entries.

Inspiration : Nephesland

If you are in the vicinity of Southern California, try to stop by for friend Marshall Roemen's show at Biola University.  The opening reception is on Tuesday, October 25th from 7-9pm. The exhibition will occupy Biola Gallery's two adjoining spaces, featuring small "perishable" sculptures, large-scale paintings, and graphite drawings.  It will also include a re-configured installation of "Oratorio at the End of A Black Rainbow", a large pseudo-tapestry painting recently installed at LAX International Airport.

From Marshall: Nepheshland draws together many ideas within my work from the past several years.  For me it refers to a place neither real nor imagined, paralleling my day-to-day experiences in Los Angeles with an ever-present, distant realm partly illuminated by the Hebrew concept of "nephesh".  In the creation story from Genesis, it is said that "God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living nephesh".  More than one's soul or state of being, the term refers collectively to living, breathing creatures and the seat of their appetites and essential desires.

--

"Nepheshland"
Recent work by Marshall Roemen

Biola University Art Gallery
October 19th - November 11th, 2011

Opening Reception: Tuesday, October 25, 7 - 9 pm

Gallery Hours: Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am - 6 pm
Closed Saturday & Sunday

Biola University
13800 Biola Ave
La Mirada, California 90639
map

 

Inspiration : Berlin

Day 5 in Berlin.  The place is alive with an energy that is fresh and surprising, full of personality and a vibe that I would imagine New York possessed in the 80's. It is the first time in quite a few years that I have been genuinely surprised by a city.  The feel on the street is energizing, with cultures converging from every corner of the earth.   Subway exits that spill out into open squares with live music, neighborhoods marked by distinct charm and history echoing from each turn has created an experience only equaled by NYC. 

Through my recent use of photography, I am also realizing more about the way I see things as an artist.  

Inspiration: Neo Rauch

 

Had the opportunity to catch this retrospective of Neo Rauch in Baden Baden recently; one of the benefits of living in Germany.

The 40 works unfolded on three floors from his earliest works (top floor) to his most recent (main level), including his first bronze sculpture created this year. The paintings did not disappoint; I have been taken with his use of color and virtousity with paint more than the subject matter.  But viewing the compositions at the original scale allowed me to engage them in a fresh way and read narratives into certain pieces.  They remind me of Russian constructivist art and GDR era propaganda.

NEORAUCH 

May 28–September 18, 2011

Inspiration: Robert Hood

One of our favorite artists. A true pioneer and authentic individual.
More links:
Robert Hood interview
Interview 2

Inspiration : Ost-Deutschland

I make my way from Bavaria into Leipzig and then to Dresden. Immediately upon exiting the train it is obvious that things have changed. Gone are the colored facades of riverfront homes and the company of tourists replaced by faceless gray architecture of the GDR and locals clad in black wool. The air is heavier, but I am loving Leipzig. It contains an energy that is difficult to place; there seems to be a feeling of creative flamboyance here, an expectation of new thought and spontaneous expression. This also marks the first time I am able to purchase food in German without the waiter noticing that I am a foreigner. This is a major accomplishment. I feel proud.

Inspiration : Bamberg

 

Full Gallery: Bamberg

Inspiration : Flossenburg

On Sunday, April 8, 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer conducted a service of worship. As he ended his last prayer, two men came for him.  He spoke to an English officer, "This is the end, but for me it is the beginning of life."  The next day, April 9, 1945, he was hanged in Flossenburg.  Among those who died with Bonhoeffer were fellow participants in the Resistance Movement:  Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Major General Hans Oster, Judge Advocate General Carl Sack, Captain Ludwig Gehre, and a man named Strunk.  Also executed on the same day was Bonhoeffer's brother-in-law, Hans von Dohnanyi  at Sachsenhausen.  It is difficult to understand the persistence of revenge at the time the German armies were falling apart.  The allies were rapidly advancing, resistance was crumbling.  Huppenkothen, a magistrate, was sent from Berlin with instructions to conduct a summary trial and to execute Canaris, Sack, Oster, Gehre, Strunk and Bonhoeffer, all prisoners in Flossenburg.  The prisoners were ordered to remove their clothing and were led down the steps under the trees to the secluded place of execution. Naked under the scaffold, Bonhoeffer knelt for the last time to pray.  Within five minutes, his life was ended.  Memorial services for Bonhoeffer were held at Holy Trinity Church in London on July 27, 1945, at the instigation of the Bishop of Chichester.  The announcement of this service over the radio was the first word of Bonhoeffer's death that his family had received.

Inspiration : Nuremberg

Nuremberg has caught me off-guard.  I felt drawn to it for it's rich history and significance during the Nazi era, but have been surprised by it's beauty and charm.  The old walled city has provided a lot of inspiration.  In particular, I enjoyed the Neues Museum - Staatliches Museum für Kunst und Design (State Museum for Art and Design) and the current exhibitions.  

More images and thoughts after the jump.

Inspiration : Hurlach

 

Zurich to Hurlach, Thomas Kelly in hand, rolling through innumerable train stops with names I can't pronounce or read.  Once I arrive at the castle and am introduced to new friends, I quickly grab the camera and head out to document the surrounding area on a cold and windswept afternoon.  I walk a path that snakes out of the quiet town into the forest where I discover stark visual treasures around every turn.  I am the only one on this land for miles.  The brisk air sweeps around me and rings in my ears as the great expanse around me appears almost artificial; I lose perception of it's great distance.

Inspiration : Zurich

Inspiration : Freiburg

Setting out on the road for three weeks.  Taking lots of photos, writing and seeing some of German landscape from the south to the east.  No real plans...we'll see where each day leads. 
 

First stop is Freiburg.  Rolled my bag over winding cobblestone streets to the hostel which created a clacking echo off the closed storefronts.  A enchanting city of about 300,000 that seems much smaller.  Capital of the Black Forest and located in the far southwest of the country, it's supposed to get more sun than anywhere in Germany.  But today it's cold.  Snow falls between brightly colored buildings in damp flakes on to narrow streets filled with scurrying residents and visitors.  I discover a great micro brewery and order two "grosse" beers. 

Deutschland

I now live in Germany.  How did this happen?  Not exactly sure.  I boarded a plane for Frankfurt with no return ticket and plans to wonder the country in search of our next home.  Equal parts providence, faith and naivete.  A lesson in learning to hear the Divine.  A person I exchanged emails with just two weeks prior is now my housemate, along with 13 other people in Karlsruhe.  Forget talk of community as a buzzword; sharing a large former nuns' quarters with over a dozen strangers is community. 

Starting to shoot photos with the EP-2.  Liking what I'm getting so far, although I have no idea how to work it yet.  I need to purchase an electronic viewfinder so I don't look like a Japanese tourist.

Inspiration : San Diego

Rain in So Cal